Rod Aissa: Last News

Corie Henson is on her way to NBCUniversal.

NBCUniversal has found its permanent lifestyle and documentary chief.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Rod Aissa, the executive VP, unscripted content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, is departing the company after 11 years. Aissa oversaw all unscripted lifestyle and documentary programming across NBCU’s broadcast, cable and streaming platforms: NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen True Crime, Syfy, Universal Kids, USA Network and Peacock. Rachel Smith will take on the interim role of leading the unscripted lifestyle and docuseries group, which reports to Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. NBCU said it would “be doing a broad search to fill the role.”

Rod Aissa is leaving NBCUniversal after 11 years, most recently serving as EVP, Entertainment Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. He just informed his staff of his departure.

Sophia Scorziello editor Variety’s annual TV FYC Fest was packed with big names and your favorite stars from the small screen. Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”) made a rare appearance to accept the Legacy Award, Brooke Shields spoke passionately about the reality of co-existing in the world of social media and Kerry Washington (“UnPrisoned”) joined a collective of equally hilarious actresses including Elle Fanning (“The Great”), Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”) and Gina Rodriguez (“Dead To Me”) to discuss forging vanity for laughs and embracing the “messy” woman. The all-day discussion also tackled the state of television today amid a writers strike and an ever-changing landscape of streaming. We’ve rounded up the standout moments from Variety’s TV FYC Fest panels and presentations which brought out important — and at times hilarious — conversations about this season of shows.

Peacock has announced that Paris Hilton’s reality show with her husband Carter Reum, “Paris In Love”, will return for a second season later this year.

Peacock has picked up a second season of Paris in Love docuseries for premiere later this year. A launch date is TBA.

The CW has confirmed Deadline’s scoop that Heather Olander is joining the network as its new unscripted chief.

EXCLUSIVE: The CW has seemingly found its unscripted chief.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer NBCUniversal’s longtime executive vice president of unscripted current production, Shari Levine, is stepping down from her role and shifting to a non-exclusive consulting position, Variety has learned exclusively. Following her exit, Noah Samton will expand his purview as the new head of East Coast for unscripted lifestyle current production across all platforms, while Kathleen French and Ryan Flynn will divide up overseeing the West Coast current production team, with all three reporting directly to NBCU television and streaming’s head of unscripted content, Rod Aissa. With a focus on Bravo programming during her more than two decades at the Comcast-owned company, Levine has overseen franchises like “The Real Housewives,” “Below Deck and “Million Dollar Listing,” as well as the original run of “Project Runway.”

EXCLUSIVE: Peacock launches its first ever DocFest, an on-platform showcase highlighting a selection from the streamer’s top-tier documentary roster. The documentaries include Joe Berlinger‘s , as well as projects exploring the accomplishments of Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks and the scandals of England’s Prince Andrew.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBCUniversal’s head of unscripted entertainment content Jenny Groom is exiting her post at the top of the alternative department following poor reception to her recent projects, Variety has confirmed.Groom ran the unscripted department at NBCUniversal alongside Rod Aissa, who handled docuseries while Groom ran reality and competition series. Both report to Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.As executive vice president of unscripted entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a role she took on in 2020, Groom oversaw reality competition, talent competition and game show formats across NBCU’s brands NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Universal Kids, USA Network and Peacock.

NBCUniversal is shaking up its unscripted executive ranks with alternative chief Jenny Groom exiting the broadcaster.

The creator of the critically acclaimed BBC natural history series Walking with Dinosaurs has landed a new eight-part docuseries at NBC.

Selome Hailu NBC has ordered eight episodes of “Surviving Earth,” an unscripted series about how life not only survived during the cataclysmic events of the prehistoric era, but thrived. The series aims to find what lessons can be learned from past mass extinctions.“Surviving Earth” is co-produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio and UK indie production company Loud Minds.

Rainn Wilson is heading out in to the world to search for the happiest places on earth.

The crucial final hours of a crime victim’s life will be dissected by the Dateline team in a new Peacock original series, Dateline: The Last Day.

Peacock has partnered with Amy Poehler to produce an unscripted series that will follow people’s lives as they prepare for death.The show, titled “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning,” will feature a “Swedish Death Cleaner” who will help people who “are at a major crossroads [to] organize and demystify [their] homes, lives, and relationships” and thereby “allowing us to prepare for death while we enjoy life,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series will be narrated by Poehler and produced by her production company, Paper Kite Productions, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Scout Productions- which gave us “Queer Eye.”“’Queer Eye’ reshaped the way we look at life, and ‘The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning’ will transform the way we look at death,” said David Collins, Scout Productions co-founder and executive producer.“In this series, viewers will be taken on an honest and emotional journey as they watch everyday people conquer their worst fears and discover who they really are on the inside,” added Rod Aissa, executive vice president of unscripted content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

The Regency-style dating series formerly known as Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance has jumped from streaming to linear.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA three-part documentary about Barney the Dinosaur has started production at Peacock, the streamer announced Monday.The project will examine the meteoric rise of Barney, the beloved children’s character who captured the hearts of millions of children and then became the target of hate and rage across pop culture, the early internet and playgrounds around the world. It hails from Scout Productions and Tommy Avallone.“Barney the Dinosaur was a ubiquitous character for children and parents alike and we are thrilled to work with the Scout Productions team to bring this three-part series to Peacock,” said Rod Aissa, executive vice president of unscripted content for NBCUniversal Television & Streaming.

Heather Olander, who built USA Network’s non-scripted division with series such as Chrisley Knows Best, is leaving NBCUniversal after ten years.